South Africa Weather Outlook: Severe thunderstorms, heavy rains expected on, 25 Sept., 2025
Heavy rains in South Africa. Photo Credit- IOL
South Africa braces for another round of intense weather on Thursday, with severe thunderstorms and disruptive downpours forecast to sweep through key regions, according to the latest update from the South African Weather Service. The alert comes as the country transitions into a mixed pattern, with partly cloudy skies and scattered showers lingering into the weekend. This forecast, covering Thursday, 25 September through Saturday, 27 September, highlights ongoing risks of localized flooding and structural damage amid the spring season’s volatile shifts.
Weather alerts and special notices
A Level 2 warning has been issued for severe thunderstorms, featuring damaging winds, small hail, and intense rainfall that could lead to flooding and harm to homes, roads, and communities in the Mpumalanga Highveld, Gauteng, and northeastern North West Province. Separately, a Level 2 advisory flags disruptive rains with heavy bursts causing potential inundation of low-lying areas and infrastructure damage in the far northeastern KwaZulu-Natal. Fire risks remain critically elevated in the Northern Cape’s Richtersveld District Municipality, where dry conditions could spark rapid blazes.
Provincial Breakdown
Gauteng: Expect overcast skies and mild temperatures, turning cooler with widespread showers and thunder in the afternoon. UV Index: Low. Mpumalanga: Cloudy conditions will prevail, with chilly to frigid air and frequent showers accompanied by thunder across the province.
Limpopo: Overcast and ranging from cool to mild, isolated rain and thunder are likely, intensifying to scattered events in the southern extremities. North West: Mostly clear with warm spells, punctuated by occasional showers and thunder, more persistent in the southeastern fringes.
Free State: Sunny in the southern districts, otherwise variably cloudy and cool to mild to frigid in the east, with spotty showers possible eastward.
Northern Cape: Patchy clouds in the northeast, fine and cool to warm elsewhere, dipping to cold in the south. Coastal winds: Fresh to strong southerlies shifting southeast.
Western Cape: Morning fog in the Little Karoo valleys, then clear and cool inland, warming up along the west coast. Coastal breezes: Gentle northwesterlies on the south shore morning and evening; moderate to fresh southerlies to southeasterlies, strengthening along the west coast post-noon. UV Index: High.
Western Eastern Cape: Early interior fog clearing to partly cloudy and cool, shifting to mostly sunny by late morning. Coastal winds: Gentle and shifting directions.
Eastern Eastern Cape: Cloudy start with isolated rain and showers in the east, easing to partly cloudy and cool, with some clearing in the afternoon. Coastal winds: Light and variable.
KwaZulu-Natal: Overcast and chilly to cool, with isolated showers and thunder—scattered in the far north during the morning. Coastal winds: Moderate to fresh southerlies to southwesterlies, easing to light southeasterlies to easterlies later. UV Index: Low.
Key City Forecasts
Pretoria: Overcast with frequent showers and thunder. Temps: 15–21°C. UV: Low.
Johannesburg: Cloudy, frequent afternoon showers and thunder. Temps: 12–19°C.
Vereeniging: Cloudy with scattered showers and thunder. Temps: 14–20°C.
Mbombela: Cloudy, scattered showers and thunder. Temps: 14–16°C.
Polokwane: Partly cloudy, isolated showers and thunder. Temps: 14–19°C.
Mahikeng: Partly cloudy, isolated showers and thunder. Temps: 13–28°C.
Vryburg: Partly cloudy, isolated showers and thunder. Temps: 9–30°C.
Bloemfontein: Partly cloudy. Temps: 8–25°C.
Kimberley: Partly cloudy. Temps: 5–26°C. Upington: Clear skies. Temps: 9–28°C.
Cape Town: Sunny. Winds: Moderate to fresh southerlies to southeasterlies, intensifying afternoon. Temps: 12–22°C. UV: High.
George: Clear. Winds: Light northwesterlies, moderate southeast to easterlies afternoon. Temps: 9–19°C.
Gqeberha: Partly cloudy. Winds: Light and variable.
Residents in affected areas are urged to monitor updates closely, secure outdoor items against gusts, and avoid flooded routes. From Friday onward, conditions ease to partly cloudy and mild to cool nationwide, with isolated precipitation in central and eastern zones. For real-time maps and extended outlooks.
